The goddess, Athelia

Third person pov~

His sister was the first to notice him.

"Peter!" She cried, as she broke away from Athelia's eyes embrace and ran towards him.

He barely had time to brace himself before she threw her arms around him. "Grace." Peter's voice was low and full of emotion. He instinctively checked her arms, her shoulder and was relieved to find no wounds or bruises. "Why are you crying, huh? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No," she sniffled, rubbing her eyes. "Mother was crying. I did not know why she was crying so I joined her." Then as if everything that has happened moments ago hasd been erased from her mind, she grinned up at him. "Play with me, Peter. Let's go play."

Peter chuckled as he ruffled her hair. "Okay." He smiled at her and looked towards the direction of his mother. She had calmed down a bit and had stopped crying. But her eyes, her expression made it look like she was going to cry some more. Peter gently left his sister's side and hurried over to pull his mother in for a warm embrace. He noticed that her breath was shaky against his shoulder but he did not say anything, he did not need to. He glanced over her shoulder to look at Athelia who watched him with an unreadable expression.

'Thank you.' Peter mouthed and she smiled, acknowledging his gratitude.

Then a voice shattered the moment.

"Touching reunion." The voice came from inside the building, led with irritation. Peter recognized it to be Barry's voice. Barry emerged from the shadows of the house, he looked greatly displeased.

Peter instinctively moved as he shifted his mother behind him, shielding her with his body, placing her behind him. Barry scoffed when he saw the gesture.

"Why did you take them? What story would you have cooked for the villagers to believe this time?" Peter demanded and Barry rolled his eyes.

"Oh please, Peter. You always act like you are so righteous, like you are better than me and everyone. Do you think you know everything about what has been happening on this island ? You know nothing so know your place, peasant." Barry huffed then turned to look at an unfazed Athelia.

"And you, goddess, falling for a human? How lowly can you get?"

Athelia did not react at first, she simply stared at him, her expression eerily calm.

"How about you? Wanting to control a god? How stupid could you be?" Athelia snapped back, her face expressionless.

"Oh but you're not that big of a deal, are you?"

Athelia flinched and Barry noticed, he had gained an upper hand. He smirked.

"I know all about you, third daughter. You are nothing but a useless god. How dare you act all high and mighty here?"

Athelia stepped back, her face exuded pure shock. "H…how do you…"

"I always thought gods were a thing of fiction, I mean, I never thought they actually existed, until you showed up, of course. And that was when I realized we humans were just your playthings."

Peter was confused, he had no idea what either of them was saying. His mother and sister were holding onto each other, tugging at his shirt, an appeal to make him leave with them.

"You're saying a whole lot for someone with no army to protect him." Athelia's eyes glowed, showing a dangerous glint.

"The goddess, Athelia." Barry sneered, his voice was dripping with mockery, "How does it feel to be an abomination."

All of a sudden, Athelia's surprised expression disappeared. She did not flinch at his words nor did she blink. Instead, barely a few seconds after Barry made his last statement, she lifted her hand, her fingers stretched towards him as if teachin for something unseen.

Barry barely had time to react before his body lurched forward as he was dragged by an invisible force. His feet scraped against the ground and he lost his balance as he was yanked helplessly towards her.

Then came the scorching heat.

Without hesitation, Athelia's palm ignited with blue flames, the flames erupted from her fingertips and engulfed him in an instant. The fire was not wild, it did not spread or consume everything in its path. It was precise, controlled and it wrapped around him and seeped into his skin.

Barry let out a strangled scream, the arrogance in his expression was gone and replaced with pain and fear. His flesh blistered almost instantly, his skin peeling away as the fire burrowed deeper into him. He squirmed, desperate to escape but his efforts yielded to be fruitless.

His screams echoed through the room and the air smelt of burnt flesh. Peter tried the best he could, at a safe distance, with his family. He yelled Athelia's name, hoping that she would hear his voice and refrain from killin Barry, he hoped he would be able to stop her like he did once but Athelia was unyielding. Her expression was still calm, as if killing a person meant nothing to her.

Barry choked as he gasped for air, his screams, unrelenting.

"Athelia, please. You're going to kill him." Peter yelled from where he was, far, far away from Athelia and Barry. He had hurriedly pulled his mother and sister away, taking them to a safe distance the moment Athelia unleashed her flames. Thankfully, none of them were hurt or burned.

Barry was losing consciousness, his thoughts were scattered and the pain became distant. With the last of his strength, he tried once more to pull away and save himself from the certainty of death but it was to no avail. The invisible hand that kept him in place did not budge. His father was not home, his soldiers were down, there was no one to save him. There was no one who could fight off a goddess. His screams continued until finally, there was silence.

Nicole's pov~

What the heck was that story?

"So, you're saying you were killed?"

"That's correct." The village chief who was still seated across me, who was still wearing that annoying smile, confirmed.

"You do not look dead to me."

He shrugged.

"And that was not my question. You were going to tell me about the secrets of the island. Why should I care about you and your childhood friend?"

"Are you not curious as to why I'm still alive? And why your dad does not remember anything?" He asked and I raised my eyebrow.

Out of annoyance, I created an icicle and without hesitation, shot it straight into his arm. The piercing was followed by a loud yelp as he fell to the floor, clutching his wounded arm. I pushed back my chair and rose to my feet.

He mumbled something along the lines of -these gods- I did not really hear him well and I did not care to know what he said. They were all lies anyway.

I approached him as he writhed in pain. I crouched down beside him. "Do not treat me like I'm stupid," I said, watching his face turn red from the pain. "Tell me about the island."

"I was getting there, damn it. Patience certainly does not flow in your blood."

"I do not have time for your lies. How can you tell me you died when you are right here? And that bit about your best friend stealing your woman, are you sure you were not just delusional to think she was yours?"

He looked slightly offended, his eyes twitched.

"I'm sure I died. I saw it." He said, his expression turning serious.

"Where did you see it?" I asked, not buying his story.

"In the crystal ball my father owns. The eye of the storm, he called it. It revealed my forgotten memories to me."

This man was speaking nonsense.

"Oh?" I was not amused, he could tell that I did not believe him. It was a ridiculous story.

Falling in love at first sight? A god who falls in love with a human at first sight? Fighting over a woman? Every part of his story was just unbelievable. Not to mention , it had absolutely nothing to do with what had happened to me in the cave, what had happened to my fellow women. I did not go to see him to hear about a love story or a story about betrayal or friendship, I went to hear about the secrets of the island.

"This story is related to the origin of the island." He said, as if reading my thoughts. "You need to understand that your parents' story is not how you imagined it."

"Oh, now you're bringing my parents into this ridiculous story?"

"What are you talking about?" He sat up straight, "I've been talking about your parents the entire time."

I blinked.

"Huh?"

"Are you daft?"

Now his story was even more ridiculous. He expected me to believe that my mother was a god. Never in the years I had known her had she displayed anything close to powers. My parents had a normal relationship , like everybody else and I was not going to believe this man's words over my cherished memories.

I got to my feet and prepared to leave, I thought I was coming to meet the most knowledgeable man in the whole village, not knowing that he had a few loose screws in the head.

What a waste of time.

"Wait." He cried out as I turned to leave. "I have proof, the eye of the storm. It will verify my words."